Apparatus for making tufted upholstery blankets



April 14, 1953 B. GOTH 2,634,543

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUFTED UPHOLSTERY BLANKETS Filed Dec. 19, 1949Bernhard 60th INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 APPARATUS FOR MAK ING TUFTED UPHOLSTERY BLANKETSBernhard Goth, Bronx, N. Y.

Application December 19, 1949, Serial No. 133,7 75

1 Claim. 1

This invention appertains to an apparatus for making a tufted upholsteryblanket and has for its primary object to enable blankets of thischaracter to be produced without the employment of skilled upholsterers,to reduce to a minimum the time required for the production of suchitems, and to enable the tufting design to be widely varied and yetuniformly produced.

Another important object is to insure uniformity of production of tuftedupholstery blankets, while still permitting variations in the design.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a compact andinexpensive apparatus which may be dependably employed by unskilledpersons in the upholstery art.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a table having a plurality of spacedsockets in its upper face, internally threaded adapter ringsfrictionally fitted in said sockets with peg threaded in the rings andprojecting upwardly from the base, each peg having its opposing endexternally threaded and formed with axially disposed sockets to receiveand support the heads of upholstery pins so that the shanks extendupwardly from the pins and are axially aligned therewith.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional view through a part of the equipmentand a blanket illustrating the first step in the process of form ing ablanket;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the second step orprocess and illustrating the means provided for forming the pleats inthe upholstery covering;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the third step informing the blanket;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the last step informing the blanket;

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of the pleatforming members; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the pegs shown in verticalsection to illustrate the means provided for detachably securing thepegs perpendicular to fissures on the table.

In the accompanying drawings, the equipment employed in producing anupholstery blanket includes a flat table l0 having a plurality of spacedsockets I2 formed in the upper surface 14 thereof. Adapter rings I6 areformed with knurled outer surfaces 18, whereby the rings arefrictionally fitted in the sockets and the rings are internally threadedas at 20, to receive pegs 22. The pegs are formed with externallythreaded ends 24 so I 2 that the pegs may bereversely seated in therings with either of their opposing ends threadingly secured therein.The pegs are formed attheir opposing ends with axial sockets 26 toreceive and retain the button heads 28 of upholstery pins-30.

It is to be particularly noted that the sockets 26 formed in theopposing ends of the pegs are of different diameters so that buttonheads 28 of different sizes may be employed. Of course, the pegs areseated in the supporting rings in the sockets l2 with their sockets 26disposed upwardly, the sockets being selected according to the size ofthe button to be employed.

A presser board 32 is provided and is formed with a plurality ofvertical passages or openings 34, so that when the board is in use, theopenings align axially with the recesses l2 in the table it and are thusin alignment with the pegs 22, as seen in Figure 4.

In use, the pins 22 are secured in the adapter ring I6, in the mannershown in Figure 6, so that the pegs extend perpendicularly from thetable In. The table is supported in a horizontal position from pair ofvertical supports and upholstery covering 36 is draped over the pegs andthe shanks of the pins 30, which are seated in the upper ends of thepegs 22, are pierced through the covering. The tufts being spaced, theopenings through which the shanks of the buttons extend in theupholstery material are spaced apart to allow a fullness of the coveringmaterial between the upholstery buttons and the finished product. Afterthus positioning the fabric, a layer of cotton felt 38 is placed on thefabric, as seen in Figure 2.

Elongated tubular members 40 are provided and are employed for thepurpose of forming pleats in the covering 36. The tubes are formed attheir lower ends 42 with diametrically opposing, longitudinallyextending slots or slits 44 and 46. The tubes are of a diameter toencompass the pegs, so that the lower ends 42 of the tubes arepositioned over the pegs and the tubes are then forced down into theposition as seen in Figure 2. The covering is gathered up in the slots44 and 46 and pleats are thus formed therein, as seen in Figures 3 and4.

The space between the tubes 40 is filled with a resilient compressiblestuffing 48, such as hair which has been previously curled to improveits resilient qualities. After placing the stuffing in position, asshown in Figure 2, the tubes 40 are extracted and a sheet of backingfabric 50 is laid over the stuffing. The board 32 is then positioned onthe backing fabric 50 and the board is forced toward the table 10, underthe influence of any type of clamping means, such as clamps secured tothe table and to the board. Under the influence of the clamps, the board32 is advanced toward the table, and the backing fabric will be advancedagainst the force of the resilient stufling 48, until it is pierced bythe shanks of the upholstery pins 30. Suitable washers 52 are thenintroduced into the openings 34 in the board to surround the shanks ofthe pins and the shanks are then clinched, as at 54, so as to hold thestuffing under compression and cause the covering material to falldownwardly. The board is then removed and the tufted blanket is removedby extracting the heads 26 from the sockets in the pegs. r

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the equipment abovedescribed when employed asset forth will produce tufts of uniformcharacter, and a that the blanket thus made may be employed Wherever atufted upholstery finish is desired,

In viewof the simplicity of the operation and 4 my pending application,Serial No. 733,245, filed March 7, 1947, now abandoned.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an apparatus for making tufted upholstery blankets, a table having aplurality of spaced sockets in the upper surface thereof, internallythreaded bushings fitting into each of said sockets. said bushingshaving knurled external surfaces Cushman Jan. 29, 1907

